TESTIMONIALS

Van Star has been a true blessing to me. In 2008 our son was going off to college and my husband and I commuted back and forth from Columbia to Nashville to work. We kept seeing the VanStar/TMA vans on 65 North and I wrote down the number down and called to find out more about this transportation where we could save money with the expense of our son going to college and then in 2 years we would have 2 kids in college at the same time. We were spending $400-$500 monthly in gas depending on the gas price. Then traveling over 80 miles a day, we would have more frequent oil changes and then tires were a purchase almost every 2-3 years. Then parking fee at work monthly was $35.00 for me and and $50.00 for my husband. TMA helped us to start on our van in 2008 and filled the seats of our 15 passenger van and had a waiting list to join. The MONTHLY FEE to ride back and forth was $50.00 per person for the entire month, total of $600 a year! Our insurance company reduces our premium due to Van Pooling and not driving our car to work. We don’t have to pay for parking either. Approximately $7,100 savings, we were able to put our kids thru college without Student Loans. They have both graduated from college now and we purchased a new car in 2010, it has only 55K miles and we haven’t purchased tires yet! We are starting our 7th year operating the van, Columbia/Spring Hill we had people come and go two have retired from their jobs and others have moved out of state for a job relocation or change of hours etc. moved to another area in TN, and I know of 2 that joined other van in their new area to continue their savings!

TRENA

MEMBER SINCE 2008

I first learned of the TMA VAN commute option from a fellow coworker who was commuting to work from a different community. I was in a desperate situation as the transmission had suddenly gone out in my personal van and my husband had to have his vehicle for his job. I researched my options with TMA and found a van pool that commuted from Murfreesboro to Nashville and back. After tweaking my work schedule by a few minutes, I found myself joining. I was not sure what to expect no longer having a car at work with me, but I felt like I had won the lottery. The odds were against me finding this opportunity, but here it was. I was introduced to my fellow van riders and I was hooked. After a few months, the van pool driver could not drive or ride the van due to a schedule change so I decided to volunteer to become a coordinator/driver. That was in 2009 and many of the same riders/friends are still there along with me. We also merged with another van of great riders too at one point and continued to grow to a 15 passenger van. Our van has a great system of back-up drivers to help when I have time off or a sick day. When I have questions, Stan Higgs and Mimi Lee with TMA have been there to support me. Thank-you TMA for all the money you have saved me and the friends I have meet due to the vanpool. It has become more than a trip back and forth to work. It is time with friends, companionship in traffic, time for some riders to catch on a nap, and of course to save money and wear and tear on personal vehicles.
SABRINA